How to Save a Life
by Llamaiiii
Summary: A Songfic based on How to Save a Life by The Fray set during DH. Ron has left Hermione and Harry during the Horcrux Hunt and is staying at Shell Cottage. Bill confronts Ron about his actions and how they have been affecting Hermione. Read and Review!


**How to Save a Life: A Song Fic**

**A/N: Hey Y'all I'm finally posting a Fic! *presses a button on Sam,(from iCarly), 's little blue remote. Audience cheers* So it's my first solo fic, (I am working on a Collab with my sister **_**Lil' Llama**_** on her story **_**Live, Laugh, Love**_**), so go ahead and make suggestions, flame me even! I haven't got a Beta Reader yet and I think it'd be great to have some fresh eyes on my ideas. We might post the Collab story on my Profile as well later on. Anyway I've got three main guidelines for my Fics: Read! Review! And finally, and most importantly, Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Nawww I ain't that **_**Rowling**_** lady. I'm just a silly little American girl writing barely legible scribbles and listening to music like **_**How to Save a Life**_** by **_**The Fray**_**. And No, I ain't a band member of The Fray either. I own's nothing but the paper I write on, my crazy wit, my ideas and my Fanfiction Profile. Sadly the song rights and the rights to the Potter series are WAAAY out of my price range… **

"Ron?" Bill asked as he looked at his younger brother who was currently looking gloomily through a window of Shell Cottage.

_Step one you say we need to talk. He walks you say sit down it's just a talk. He smiles politely back at you; you stare politely right on through. Some sort of window to your right. As he goes left and you stay right, between the lines of fear and blame, and you begin to wonder why you came._

Ron looked up at him as Bill motioned for Ron to take a seat on the floral patterned loveseat across from the old leather chair he had seated himself on.

Ron sat awkwardly for a second on the well broken-in hand-me-down loveseat in the cozy sitting room of Shell Cottage, before Bill spoke.

"Ron, we need to talk."

Ron looked guilty before rushing to say, "If it's about the lamp, it wasn't me!"

"No it's about- wait what?" Bill looked perplexed, "What lamp?"

"Uhh… nothing." Ron said quickly trying to cover, glancing nervously to the foggy window to Bill's right.

Bill gave a quick glance to where Ron had looked, and then changed the subject back to what he had called Ron to talk about in the first place.

"Lamp…" he said himself as if trying to remember anything that might ring a bell. "It's about Harry and Hermione." Ron grimaced at the two names put together like that, "It's about your leaving them."

_Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend, somewhere along in the bitterness and I would have stayed up with you all night, had I known how to save a life.  
_

Bill watched Ron's face twist as he thought back to his leaving his best friends. His reaction continued to evolve from guilt and regret to rage.

"Harry…" he sneered.

Bill began to realize that Ron needed him more than he had previously thought. A quick conversation would not do. His brother needed him. Ron needed him _now_.

"Harry is a git! It's his fault! All of this!" he scorned.

"Ron, why did you leave?"

_Let him know that you know best, 'cause after all you do know best. Try to slip past his defense without granting innocence. Lay down a list of what is wrong, the things you've told him all along. And pray to God, he hears you and pray to God, he hears you._

"As I said, HARRY. IS. A. GIT."

"Ron."

"He tricked me! We thought he had a plan! He never gave us food and Hermione… He- Hermione…" he growled.

"Ron, Harry has so much weighing on his shoulders, and he's just turned 17, he's not going to be prepared like an adult."

"Obviously," Ron scoffed.

"And I'm pretty sure he wouldn't hide food from you."

"Oh that git would, he'd keep it all for himself and _his_ precious Hermione." snarled Ron.

"Ron, Harry has always been giving, I am _sure_ that's not the case. Harry has been loyal and noble the entire time I have known him."

"That must be why Hermione," he paused growing more angry and took a fuming breath, "loves _him_."

"Hermione loves him? Ron… I don't think she love him. It's you, I'm sure."

Ron looked up, almost in realization.

_Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend, somewhere along in the bitterness and I would have stayed up with you all night, had I known how to save a life._

"Me?" he asked in realization, his face turned as his mind flashed.

**Flash Back:**

"_**Oh Ronald…" she giggled, smiling the smile he loved so much.**_

Ron's facial expressions turned from anger to guilt.

**Another Flash Back:**

"_**Ron!" she'd screamed as she slept, and awoken crying.**_

"'_**Mione? Are you alright? What's wrong?" He said pulling her in to his arms as he sat down on the ratty old armchair of the tent."'Mione?" worry clouding his voice.**_

"_**Oh Ron… He. Vold. He killed..." she paused, tears streaming down her face as she looked in to his eyes before continuing in a breath, "Oh Ronald." Before breaking down and tucking her face into his neck.**_

"_**It's alright 'Mione. You'll be okay."**_

Bill could see the frustration fill his face, turning it a deep red with mixed the emotions he's held in.

"Ron, it's going to be alright."

_As he begins to raise his voice, you lower yours and grant him one last choice: drive until you lose the road or break with the ones you've followed. He will do one of two things: He will admit to everything or he'll say he's just not the same and you begin to wonder why you came.  
_

"SHUT UP!" he yelled, red faced.

"Ron…"

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

"Ron." Bill said more sternly before Ron lost all control.

"BLOODY SHUT UP! How do you know what's best for me? How do you know how I am feeling! Huh? You don't know what's happened to me! Just SHUT UP!"

"Ron," Bill lowered his voice, "calm down."

"I will not calm down! You don't know! You don't- "

"Ron, you will have to leave if you're going to yell,"

Ron's eyes widened at the word 'leave' and his anger deflated slightly, his face beginning to pale.

"You mustn't wake Fleur."

Ron exhaled an upset breath.

"So, are you through with being friends w/ Harry and Hermione?" Ron again stiffened at the two names.

"Harry's been such a git!" Ron blared, his face red with rage, "I could care less!"

"And Hermione?"

_Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend, somewhere along in the bitterness and I would have stayed up with you all night, had I known how to save a life._

"What about her?" he roared.

"I've seen how you look at her," Ron looked indifferent, "and, I've seen, how she looks at you." Ron's face changed dramatically.

"'Mione…" he closed his eyes, "Oh, 'Mione…" he mumbled, his face now guilt ridden.

Ron's mind flashed to the moments he loved the most: lying beside Hermione enjoying the summer air in the field behind the Burrow shortly before the Battle over Little Whinging, dancing with her at Bill and Fleur's wedding, holding her hand as she slept, and he began to desperately miss the feeling of her touch._  
_

_Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend, somewhere along in the bitterness and I would have stayed up with you all night, had I known how to save a life._

"What have I done? What do I do?" Ron asked in desperation and more worried questions came crashing out of him, "How do I get back to them? 'Mione needs me! I need to protect her! I have to find them! I need to get back!"

"Ron."

"'Mione needs me! She could be hurt! How could I have ever left her? I've betrayed her! 'Mione!"

"Ron." Bill said firmly.

"I have to protect her! The Snatchers! Merlin, WHAT HAVE I DONE! I HAVE TO FIND HER!"

"RON!"

Ron looked up in surprise, jarred from his thoughts.

"Ron, we will find a way." Bill said calmly.

_How to save a life_

"Now," Bill paused regaining his authoritative voice, "We will figure it out in the morning. Ron, get some rest."

_How to save a life_

"But… 'Mione… We-" Ron rambled still frantic and breathless._  
_

_Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend, somewhere along in the bitterness and I would have stayed up with you all night, had I known how to save a life.  
_

"No 'buts', you need rest." Bill paused and watched as Ron hung his head, "I've heard you pacing every night since you've arrived." Ron looked up in surprise. "Yes, Ron, I heard your mumbling and sighs."

"I-"

"Ron. Sleep. I know you need to talk, I _know_. I would stay up and talk and plan but our heads aren't clear. Our bodies need rest."

_Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend, somewhere along in the bitterness and I would have stayed up with you all night, had I known how to save a life.  
_

Ron stood and Bill ushered him up the stairs to the guest room Fleur had prepared for him. He pointed to the four-poster bed, which looked as though it hadn't been slept in in months, despite Ron having arrived nearly a fortnight ago.

"Ron." Bill spoke and Ron looked up at his brother.

"Get some rest. We'll continue our chat in the morning." Bill commanded as he left the room, closing the door behind him before heading to his own room. He sat at the end of he and Fleur's bed and removed his suede slippers before lifting the blankets and lying beside Fleur, falling in to a _finally_ peaceful sleep.

_How to save a life_

His last thought: Ron would be alright.

**A/N: So how was it? I thought it was pretty good. I haven't read any Fanfics about this scenario, nor any songfics using this song. Let me know what you think! And remember to check out the story I am collabing on: **_**Live, Laugh, Love**_** by **_**Lil' Llama**_**. Read and Review! Please? Pretty please with a cherry/sugar on top? *puppy dog eyes***


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